Find Research Funding
SDSU has several resources to help you find the right funding for your research.
Use Pivot-RP to search thousands of funding opportunities. Learn about internal funding, federal sponsors and tips for using Pivot-RP.
Discover grants from state, regional and nonprofit sponsors and explore early career-funding options.
Using the Pivot-RP Funding Database
Pivot-RP is an expert curated global platform that accelerates the research process by integrating funding and collaborators into one powerful tool.
With Pivot-RP, you can:
- Enable an AI-driven Funding Advisor to automatically recommend funding opportunities based on your profile and opt for weekly adviser email alerts featuring the latest funding recommendations.
- Discover potential collaborators among millions of scholarly profiles that include past publications, times cited and citation impact.
- Inform your strategies with a searchable database of millions of previously awarded grants.
To use Pivot-RP, follow these steps:
- Create an account at Pivot-RP with your SDSU email address. Note: SSO will be active for SDSU by the end of January. In the interim, create your own password for Pivot.
- Claim and update your profile to enable better funding opportunity matching and make you more discoverable to potential collaborators. View detailed instructions in this four-minute video. Detailed profiles return more targeted results and alerts. Once you claim and link your profile with your ORCID account, future ORCID updates will be synced into your Pivot profile.
- Search, save and share funding opportunities by keywords, free text and sponsors. Use filters to set and refine search parameters. Follow the instructions in this three-minute video. Track funding opportunities, save searches and set up alerts.
For more information, visit Ex Libris Knowledge Center Training.
Using the RSCA Listserv
The RSCA Funding listserv operates to share news, events and funding opportunities related to research, scholarship and creative activities at SDSU.
We ask that subscribers consider the following guidelines:
- Share relevant funding opportunities.
- Share helpful training events and opportunities.
- Post questions about current funding opportunities or events.
- Seek networking opportunities for research, scholarship and creative activity projects or programs.
- Remain respectful and purposeful in our messages.
Subscribe
- Send an email with subject: Subscribe
- In the email, write: SUBSCRIBE SDSU_RSCA-FUNDING FirstName LastName
- Replace "FirstName LastName" with your name and remove any extra text in the email (such as a signature).
Other actions
- Post a message: Send to SDSU RSCA Funding Lists
- Posters will receive an email to confirm their post to the listserv.
- Unsubscribe: Send email subject Unsubscribe to SDSU RSCA Funding Signoff
- View archives*
- Manage subscription*
*Users will need an account to view archives and manage their listserv subscription.
Limited Submissions and Internal Funding Opportunities – InfoReady
Limited submissions
A limited submission is an opportunity in which a sponsor restricts the number of proposals an institution may submit.
To select proposals, an internal competition among prospective applicants ensures SDSU submits its most competitive applications. Internal letters of interest and preproposals for limited submissions are reviewed by the university's associate deans for research or members of the University Research Council.
If you find a limited submission of interest, check with the Division of Research to determine if an internal selection process is warranted. Watch the university's InfoReady platform for posted opportunities.
Internal funding opportunities
Opportunities for the universitywide community, including the RSCA Challenge Fund and Wokini Challenge Grant, will also be posted on InfoReady. Watch for announcements through university channels.
The RSCA Challenge Fund is supported by the Division of Research and Economic Development and the Office of Academic Affairs with advisement from the university RSCA Committee. The Wokini Challenge Grant is supported by SDSU’s Wokini Initiative.
These annual programs serve as seeds grant for faculty and professional staff. The Requests for Applications are released in the fall semester with deadlines in the spring semester. Visit InsideState for previous RFAs and award history.
Check with your college or department for internal funding opportunities, as well.
Grants.gov
Search all federal funding opportunities on grants.gov. The site lists posted, forecasted, closed and archived funding opportunities from all award-granting federal agencies. Users can filter searches by criteria such as eligibility, category and agency.
Learn more about which federal agencies provide grant funding.
U.S. Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences. The agency supports research, educational and extension efforts in a wide range of scientific fields related to agricultural and behavioral sciences.
Learn about USDA NIFA grants and processes, NIFA list of competitive Requests for Applications and calendar of upcoming RFAs.
You can also subscribe to USDA NIFA news and view the USDA NIFA YouTube channel.
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, investing more than $32 billion a year to enhance life and reduce illness and disability.
Learn about NIH's grants and processes, take a look at some sample NIH applications, and learn how to use NIH MatchMaker to find your fit. You can also subscribe to NIH funding opportunity announcements and view the NIH YouTube channel.
Search NIH RePORT (award database)All NIH funding opportunities (active and expired)
National Science Foundation
As described in the foundation’s strategic plan, the National Science Foundation is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering except for medical sciences. With an annual budget of $9.5 billion (FY 2023), the NSF is a funding source for approximately 25% of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing (source).
Learn about NSF funding and awards, subscribe to NSF announcements, and view the NSF's Featured and Policy Office YouTube channels.
Search the NSF’s award database Search NSF funding opportunities
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities offers a variety of grant programs to individuals and organizations that do the highest quality work to promote the humanities. Learn about grants at NEH, subscribe to NEH announcements, and view the NEH's YouTube channel
Search NEH funding opportunities Search the NEH award database
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is the only arts funder in the United States — public or private — that provides access to the arts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. jurisdictions. Each year, it awards thousands of grants nationwide, including grants to first-time applicants.
Learn about grants at NEA, subscribe to NEA announcements and view the NEA's YouTube channel
Department of Defense
- Funding opportunities through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.
- About grants through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
- Funding opportunities through the Office of Naval Research.
- Grants and research through the Army Research Office.
- About the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research program.
State and Regional Sponsors
State agencies often work with SDSU faculty and staff in funding research and programming. Agencies include South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, South Dakota Department of Health and the South Dakota Department of Transportation, among others.
- South Dakota Board of Regents Research Affairs releases calls for applications annually for the competitive research grant and others.
- South Dakota Community Foundation – Grants.
- South Dakota Humanities Council – Grants.
- South Dakota Arts Council – Grants.
Nonprofits and Foundations
Email Bulletin
Other Resources
- Bank of America Philanthropic Solutions: Use the search feature to obtain detailed information about the grantmaking focus of more than 160 foundations.
- Guide Star by Candid: Look up nonprofits and identify prospects (paid subscription required to search funding opportunities).
- Meet the Grantmakers (from The Grantsmanship Center): A series of conversations with leaders from the world of philanthropy.
- State Grant Resources (from The Grantsmanship Center): A list of foundations sorted by state.
Commodity Groups
- Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research: Foundation FAR Research Page
- Iowa Beef Industry Council: Iowa Beef Research Page
- Midwest Dairy Food Research Center: Midwest Dairy Foods Research Page
- Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council: Minnesota Corn Research Page
- Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council
- Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council: Minnesota Wheat Research Page
- National Dairy Council: NDC Research Page
- National Pork Board: Pork Checkoff Research Page
- National Sunflower Association: NSA Research Page
- Northern Canola Growers Association
- South Dakota Beef Industry Council: BeefGrants Research Page
- South Dakota Nutrient Research and Education Council: SD NREC Research Page
- South Dakota Oilseeds Council
- South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council: Soybean Research Page
- South Dakota Wheat Commission
- US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative: USWBSI Research Page
- United Soybean Board: National Soybean Checkoff Research Page
Federal Sponsors
- Department of Energy Office of Science Early Career Research Program
- Department of Defense Air Force Young Investigator Program
- Department of Defense Army Young Investigator Research Program
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Young Faculty Award
- Department of Defense Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program
- NASA: New Investigator Program in Earth Science
- NASA: Early Career Faculty in Space Technology
- NASA: Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship in Astrophysics
- National Institutes of Health: Avenir Award Program for Genetics or Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders
- NIH: The Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging
- NIH: Director's New Innovator Award Program
- NIH: Director's Early Independence Awards
- NIH: Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)
- NIH: Maximizing Investigators' Research Award for Early Stage Investigators
- National Science Foundation: Faculty Early Career Development Program
- NSF: Computer and Information Science and Engineering Research Initiation Initiative
- NSF: Plant Genome Research Program
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture: USDA NIFA New Investigator Grants
Nonprofit Sponsors
- Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy: Translational Cancer Research
- ALS Investigator: Initiated Research Grant Program
- Alzheimer's Association Research Grant
- American Association of Cancer Research
- American Cancer Society: Research Scholar Grants
- American Chemical Society Doctoral: New Investigator Grants
- American Educational Research Association: Fellowship Study of Deeper Learning
- American Federation for Aging Research: AFAR Research Grants for Junior Faculty
- American Heart Association: Career Development Award
- American Liver Foundation: Liver Scholar Award
- American Lung Association: Catalyst Award
- American Mathematical Society: AMS Centennial Fellowships
- American Political Science Association: Congressional Fellowship Program
- American Society for Mass Spectrometry: Research Awards
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation: New Investigators Research Grants
- Brain and Behavior Research Foundation: Young Investigator Grants
- Breast Cancer Alliance: Young Investigator Grants
- Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Career Development Awards
- Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation New Investigator Grants
- Foundation for Child Development: Young Scholars Program
- Grass Foundation: Fellowships at Marine Biological Laboratory
- Greenwall Foundation: Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics
- Health Effects Institute: Rosenblith New Investigator Award
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: Career Development Award
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: Scholar Award
- March of Dimes: Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Awards
- Marfan Foundation: Early Investigator Grant Program
- METAvivor: Early Career Investigator Award
- Michelson Medical Research Foundation and Human Vaccines Project: Michelson Prizes for Vaccine Research
- National Ataxia Foundation: Young Investigator Award for Ataxia Research
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Harry Weaver Scholar Awards
- Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation: I.M. Rosenzweig Junior Investigator Awards
- Scleroderma Foundation: New Investigator Grant
- Scoliosis Research Society: New Investigator Grant
- Susan G. Komen: Career Catalyst Research Grants
